


You're All I See

by thefangirlingdead



Series: It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) - Universe [5]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Insecurity, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-28 04:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18203729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefangirlingdead/pseuds/thefangirlingdead
Summary: It's not like Dave had any competition when he and Klaus first met, so adjusting to Klaus' life in 2019 is difficult, to say the least.(AKA, someone on Tumblr prompted "What does Dave do when a guy relentlessly flirts with Klaus or if he gets too handsy?" and then this happened)





	You're All I See

**Author's Note:**

> (This fic is part of the [It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1295501) series and probably will not make sense unless you've read the other parts in the series before this.)
> 
> Well, since I wrote a little ficlet of Klaus being scared and insecure, I had to do the same with Dave. These two just love each other so much and are so scared of losing each other again. Nerds. 
> 
>  
> 
> _'Cause I'm telling you you're all I need_  
>  _I promise you you're all I see_  
>  _'Cause I'm telling you you're all I need_  
>  _I'll never leave_
> 
>  
> 
>  _So you can drag me through hell_  
>  _If it meant I could hold your hand_  
>  _I will follow you 'cause I'm under your spell_  
>  _And you can throw me to the flames_  
>  _I will follow you, I will follow you_  
>  \- [Follow You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tVWt2RDsoM) \- Bring Me The Horizon

“For the record, I think this is a terrible idea.” 

A year ago, Klaus would have been shocked to hear the words leaving his mouth while he, Diego and Allison strolled into a dimly-lit club -  _ his old stomping ground _ \- but a lot has changed since then. Now, it has been months since Klaus has touched drugs or alcohol, and while he  _ loves  _ the idea of getting his siblings completely fucking obliterated (even if it means that he has to take care of them) that’s not why they’re here tonight. 

Regardless, it’s  _ still _ a bad idea. The last time Klaus dealt with time traveling assassins (Five excluded) he was tortured for what felt like an eternity. He  _ really _ doesn’t want to go searching one out if he can help it, but that’s exactly what they’re doing tonight and it fills him with a sense of dread that the idea of being back in a bar again can’t even begin to hold a candle to. 

“Well I’m sure if Five could be here, he’d rather do it himself but you know… bouncers don’t tend to believe him when he says he’s a fifty-eight year old man trapped in a thirteen year old’s body,” Diego counters as they walk through the club, shoulder-to-shoulder, Allison leading the way. Diego, always alert, scans the room as they walk, already searching for potential threats or their target. 

In return, Klaus rolls his eyes, glancing over his shoulder where Dave and Ben trail along not far behind, visible to Klaus and Klaus only. “See what I mean?” he asks them with a smirk. 

Diego glances over his shoulder as well, shaking his head when he sees nothing but empty air. “Normally I’d be annoyed that you’re talking shit with someone I can’t even see,” he mutters, “But we don’t have time for this.  _ Get in and get out,  _ remember?”

Klaus sighs as they finally come to a stop at the bar. Allison is already leaning against the bartop, waiting for a bartender, because  _ if they’re here, they might as well blend in _ . “Yeah, I remember.”

Then, there’s a sturdy hand hand on Klaus’ shoulder and Diego is looking down at him, face drawn in concern. “You good?” he asks, and  _ no _ Klaus most certainly won’t tell his brother how much it means that he even has the mind to  _ ask. _

Truthfully, it’s  _ not _ easy being back in a setting like this since he stopped drinking and doing drugs. Although having Dave around has certainly made it more bearable, and  _ proper _ training has made it easier to control his own personal door to  _ the other side, _ he’s still a recovering addict at the end of the day, and yeah, standing at the bar is definitely a little triggering. 

But it’s a job, and if this will get them closer to saving the world, then he’ll do it. 

“Yeah,” he mutters, “Yeah, I’m good.”

When the bartender finally  _ does _ take their order, Allison requests a jack and coke, Diego gets a beer and Klaus… settles on a shirley temple. He pretends not to see the way that Ben is practically  _ beaming _ at him in his peripheral. 

When the drink is placed in front of him moments later, it’s complete with plenty of cherries and  _ a fucking bendy straw. _ Klaus snorts out a laugh as he takes a sip. 

“So what exactly is the plan here?” he asks after a few moments, turning to lean up against the bartop as he eyes the room. 

Klaus  _ knows _ the plan, but another rundown would be nice. He knows that they’re looking for some guy who works for the commission, an old associate of Number Five’s. He’s not there on assignment for their family,  _ thank fuck, _ but he does have something they need. A few weeks ago, Five had noticed that something was wrong with  _ their _ briefcase, and the only way to fix it was with a working part - a part that they’d have to retrieve from  _ another _ briefcase. 

_ “I’m honestly surprised you even got back in one piece, when you used it,” Five told Klaus one day, and that sparks an entire conversation between Klaus and Dave, just a few hours later.  _

_ “You went back?” Dave asked that evening, sitting on the edge of Klaus’ bed.  _

_ “I couldn’t conjure you and I - I had to see you,” Klaus had stammered by way of explanation, pacing across his bedroom.  _

_ Dave had been quiet for a moment before he asked, “Which day?” _

_ Klaus had frozen, glancing at him. “What?” _

_ “Which day did you go back to?” _

_ Klaus had sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Remember, right before the end… we snuck off, and I asked if you’d leave with me?” _

_ Dave had smiled then, remembering the day that Klaus was talking about. “Yeah…” he murmured, “Yeah, I remember thinking to myself that I wanted nothing more than to start a life with you, when it was all over…” _

_ And Klaus hadn’t been able to utter anything other than a soft, “Fuck,” before he collapsed into Dave’s arms that night. They didn’t stop holding onto one another until morning.  _

“Find the guy, get the briefcase,” Diego explains again, shaking Klaus out of his thoughts. 

“Got it,” Klaus mumbles, “Shouldn’t be too hard, right? I’ve already stolen one before, and it was a walk in the park. You know, minus the hours of torture that came before it.”

He pretends not to notice the look that Dave shoots his way at the words. Dave knows about Hazel and Cha Cha, but he doesn’t necessarily know the intimate details of what happened the day that they held him captive. Klaus has been getting better at telling Dave  _ everything, _ but there are some pieces of his past that are still a little too painful to discuss. 

“From what Five said, Hazel and Cha Cha got lazy,” Allison pipes up, “He says that most of them carry the briefcase on them at all times.” 

Klaus nods, taking another long sip of his shirley temple. “Right… So, you seduce him, rumor him into handing it over, and we’re good to go,  _ right?” _

Allison and Diego both spare a glance in Klaus’ direction at that before Allison rolls her eyes. “I mean  _ yeah, _ hopefully,” she mutters at last. 

“We’re here as backup in case shit goes south,” Diego says, clapping his hand on Klaus’ arm once more. 

“Wow,” Klaus says, glancing a Ben when he speaks, “I’ve come a long way since lookout.” It earns a surprised laugh from his brother. 

The club isn’t massive by any means, but it  _ is  _ fairly expansive. The bar and dance floor blend into one another, colorful lights illuminating the majority of the room. To their left, there’s a dimly-lit hallway that leads to the restrooms, a back patio and smoking section, and above them is a balcony that overlooks the dance floor. 

Klaus scans the room again before asking, “So, who exactly are we looking for?”

“Five said we’ll know when we see him,” Allison says with an exasperated sigh, “Which is so…  _ him.” _

_ “God, _ don’t you just love him?” Klaus teases, a smirk falling across his face, “Sometimes it’s easy to forget that he’s somehow older than all of us.”

“Five  _ did _ say that he was covered in tattoos,” Diego interjects, getting the conversation back on track, “Taller, muscular… Not that it tells us much, but it’s something to go off of. How about we split up, meet back here in five?”

They agree on Diego’s plan - and  _ holy shit, _ since when is  _ he _ so good at calling the shots, and where the hell is Number One right now? - and after a few moments, they’re splitting off into three different directions. Diego takes the patio and bar while Klaus takes the restrooms and dance floor and Allison heads up to the balcony. 

But, after a few minutes and a through lap, Klaus has turned up nothing. With a glance over his shoulder, offering a quick shrug to Dave and Ben, Klaus eventually returns to the meeting place at the bar. He beats Diego and Allison back and sighs, leaning up against the bartop, placing his empty glass on the counter. 

Klaus isn’t sure how long he’s standing there, wishing he was just  _ home _ already before there’s a voice at his side, shaking him from his drifting thoughts again. 

“You look bored,” the smooth, deep voice says to his right, and when Klaus turns, he’s face to face with a rather handsome looking man - all chiseled face, blonde hair and striking blue eyes. Said man spares Klaus a glance up and down. 

“Not really my scene,” Klaus replies flippantly, offering the stranger a casual shrug before turning his attention back to the bar. It’s funny, really, because it’s true. Klaus used to  _ live _ for little shitty hole in the wall places like this, somewhere that he could just disappear and be himself for a while, but now, it just reminds him of a lifetime ago, getting too fucked up to walk, going home with a stranger and waking up with no recollection of the night before. 

No… that’s not his life anymore, and frankly, he’s glad to leave it behind. 

When Klaus eventually glances up again, though, because he can sense that the stranger is still looking at him, he spies Ben standing just to his right, eyes wide. Ben motions down, to the man’s hands. “This is the guy,” he insists and -

_ Oh shit. _

Sure enough, in his right hand, concealed slightly by the way the bar hangs over and casts a shadow on the floor, is a thick black briefcase. It’s slightly smaller than the one that Klaus remembers, but it definitely looks out of place at this bar and  _ oh, _ yeah, it appears that the stranger’s arms (from what Klaus can see, where his sleeves are rolled up) are covered in vibrant tattoos. 

The guy leans forward on the bar, apparently determined to strike up a conversation with Klaus and effectively blocking Ben from Klaus’ view. “What are you drinking?” he asks, nodding toward Klaus’ empty drink. 

Oh.  _ Oh. _ Okay, Klaus can work with this. 

The question alone is enough for Klaus to catch on - this guy is actually trying to  _ flirt with him. _ He’s trying to buy him a drink. And  _ shit, _ it’s a good thing they didn’t have Allison try to seduce him. She’s obviously not his type.

“Oh, uh…” Klaus glances over the stranger’s shoulder to Ben, who simply shrugs at him. “Vodka cranberry.”

And  _ fuck, _ Klaus shouldn’t be ordering an alcoholic drink, but he also knows that, in order for this plan to work, he’ll have to play the part. The man next to him appears to already be a little buzzed, so Klaus just has to play along for a little bit, hopefully.

Then, the stranger is ordering two drinks - one old fashioned and one vodka cranberry - and while he talks to the bartender, Klaus has a muted conversation with Ben. 

_ “What do I do?” _ he mouths in in Ben’s direction. He glances around the bar for his other siblings, but doesn’t see them. 

“Looks like you’re playing Allison’s part,” Ben insists, “Make me corporeal. I’ll go find them. Get him to leave the briefcase.”

Klaus’ eyes go wide.  _ “How am I supposed to do that?” _ he mouths violently.

Ben throws his arms up. “I don’t know, you’re creative. Figure it out!”

And, as Ben turns to walk away at that, Klaus closes his eyes, just for a moment, focusing long enough to make sure Ben is tangible as he disappears into the crowd.  _ So much for never using his powers on a mission. _

Oblivious to the conversation Klaus just had with his brother, the stranger turns at that, handing Klaus his drink. “Name’s Lucas,” he says with a confident smile, “And you are…”

“Uh - Klaus” he replies before he has a chance to come up with a fake name. He wants to slap himself, but the damage is done. 

The guy -  _ Lucas, _ and fuck, what a dumb name, it’s too similar to Luther - is definitely undeniably attractive. If it were even just a few years ago, Klaus would absolutely be all over him, but he’s not interested, now. He already feels uncomfortable just taking a drink from him, especially with Dave close by. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Klaus,” Lucas says, voice warm. He looks Klaus up and down, and _oh_ _yeah_ , he’s definitely checking him out. _Okay._ That was unexpected. 

But Klaus can work with that. He takes a sip of his vodka cranberry despite himself - and  _ fuck, _ he knows that Ben will be pissed off about it later, but he has to keep up the act, right? - and asks, throwing in a sly smile for good measure, “So, Lucas, you come here often?”

Thankfully, the question gets just the reaction he was looking for. Lucas laughs, leaning a little closer to Klaus and says, “No, I’m actually just here for business.” He lifts the briefcase, as if to prove a point. 

Klaus hums, glancing down at the briefcase, pretending to understand. “Married to the job?” 

“You could say that,” Lucas replies with a slight smile. 

Well, here it goes. 

“Well, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Klaus murmurs after a beat of silence, leaning in slightly. He lets his gaze drift deliberately to Lucas’ lips, letting it linger there for good measure before darting back up to his eyes, “How about you let loose tonight,  _ Lucas?” _

And  _ that _ seems to do the trick. Lucas swallows, his eyes darting down Klaus’ body again. “I -”

“Come on,” Klaus insists in a low voice, holding out a hand,  _ “Dance with me.” _

Klaus doesn’t actually expect it to work. In his experience, the strange men are always asking Klaus to dance with  _ them, _ not the other way around. But to his surprise, Lucas only hesitates for a second before deliberately setting the briefcase down, nudging it under the bartop with his foot, and taking Klaus’ hand. “One dance,” he agrees with a smile.

So that’s how Klaus finds himself leading the stranger out onto the dance floor, heart racing because he knows, beneath the blue eyes and seemingly sweet smile, he’s a fucking  _ killer,  _ but taking one for the team. As the stranger -  _ Lucas _ \- puts his hands on Klaus’ hips, Klaus closes his eyes, willing Ben to hurry, because he doesn’t want to do this for long, wants it to be over with already. In the blink of an eye, it reminds Klaus of countless nights spend in shitty clubs like this, a stranger’s hands all over him. It makes him want to be sick. 

But he powers through it, and it’s then, on the vibrant dance floor that Klaus realizes that Lucas must be a few drinks in by now. He’s definitely a little handsy, but whenever his fingers inch too far around his waist, Klaus pulls away, just slightly, playing it off as a teasing, flirty move. Thankfully, it also gives Klaus a chance to stealthily discard of his drink while they dance, without Lucas noticing that he hasn’t actually drank it. 

While they sway to the music, Klaus keeps a watchful eye out on the bar. Eventually, about halfway through the song, he watches as Ben reappears through the crowd, Dave helpfully directing him to the discarded briefcase. 

_ Oh Dave, becoming part of the team already. _

He catches Dave’s eye from across the room and shoots him a smile, and Dave offers one in return. 

Then, Klaus watches as Diego leans down, a knife glinting in the dim light, and begins fiddling with the briefcase, and it dawns on him that  _ holy shit, _ their plan is  _ actually _ going to work. He just has to keep this guy distracted for a little bit longer…

As if on cue, the song promptly ends and another slower, pounding beat begins to float through the club. Lucas moves to pull away, but Klaus knows that his siblings are still there, and if he turns, they’ll be caught in the act, so without thinking, Klaus winds an arm around his waist and pulls him closer. “One more?” he asks, voice low. 

And with a hungry smile, Lucas agrees.

Before long, Lucas is winding his arms tightly around the small of Klaus’ back, too close for comfort. It’s something Klaus would have welcomed not long ago - the burn of alcohol in the back of his throat, a stranger's arms around his waist - but not now. Not with  _ Dave _ waiting for him across the room. In fact, Klaus wishes it was Dave now, holding him close, swaying along with his body. It makes him long for that night at the disco, where they shared their first kiss, only here, they’d be able to hold onto each other like they couldn’t back then. Klaus would be able to kiss Dave whenever and wherever he wanted. Maybe, they’ll have to come back here together sometime soon. As he forces himself not to pull away from the strange hands around his waist, Klaus reminds himself to bring it up later. 

“You know, I saw you as soon as you walked in,” Lucas says in a deep voice, leaning down to speak in Klaus’ ear. He can barely hear it over the pounding music. “I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you. Knew I had to get my hands on you.”

Other men have spoken to Klaus like this before, and in his defense he  _ wanted _ them to, back then. But this… It feels foreign now. Wrong. Still, he swallows it down and plays along.

“Yeah, well… guess you got lucky,” Klaus murmurs in response, careful to keep his tone light, teasing. 

Lucas hums, pulling Klaus a little closer.  _ “I’m hoping so.”  _ The implication of his words isn’t lost on Klaus, who has to stop himself from cringing at them. 

Thankfully, the song is over relatively quickly (or maybe time just flies when you’re  _ not _ having fun) and eventually, they part once more, Lucas’ hands sliding slowly off of Klaus’ hips. 

“Can I get you another drink?” Lucas asks when he apparently notices that Klaus’ hands are empty. 

_ Perfect. _ That’ll be Klaus’ chance to escape. “Sure,” he murmurs, offering the other man a grin, “You know what I like.”

But  _ then, _ he’s glancing over Lucas’ shoulder to see that Diego is  _ still _ fiddling with the briefcase, and  _ holy shit, how long is this going to take? _ Allison catches Klaus’ eye from across the room and makes a gesture at him that says _ keep him distracted _ . She then motions down at Diego as if to say,  _ almost there. _

So Klaus acts on instinct, doing the first thing that comes to mind. He reaches out to grab the collar of Lucas’ shirt and pulls him down into a quick, unexpected kiss. 

It feels weird and foreign and  _ wrong _ and suddenly, Klaus feels the same way that he normally does when he’s drank way too much and needs to be sick, but it does the trick. The kiss successfully distracts Lucas, has him pulling Klaus impossibly closer, in turn giving his siblings the time they need to finish the job. 

The kiss is stiff and awkward, but Lucas seems to be enjoying it on his part, one hand finding its place at the small of Klaus’ back, the other cradling the back of his head, and  _ fuck,  _ Klaus is going to have to take a bath when he gets home, because he just  _ feels _ dirty. It’s all wrong, it should be  _ Dave _ kissing him here on the dance floor. Dave, who is likely looking on with his siblings, and Klaus feels his heart sink, hoping that the other man understands why he had to do this. 

As they kiss, Klaus cracks one eye open and spies Diego, Allison and Ben making a bee-line for the door. Dave, on the other hand, is waiting for him by the bar, eyes trained on their spot on the dance floor. 

_ Fuck. _

Klaus abruptly ends the kiss at that, but thankfully, Lucas doesn’t seem to read too much into it. “Drinks?” Klaus asks, flashing a fake smile. 

Lucas offers Klaus a smile in return, murmuring, “I’ll be right back.” And then he’s gone. 

Then, Klaus is booking it to the door, watching from the corner of his eye as Dave follows.

The drive home goes by in a blur. Filled with adrenaline and excitement, Diego can’t stop chattering about how well they pulled it off and how stoked Five will be, while Allison praises Klaus for his quick thinking and commitment to the role, even teasing him a bit about how  _ he _ ended up being the one to  _ seduce _ their target instead of her. Klaus glows under the praise - and  _ fuck, _ if only Reginald could see them now, working together and mastering their powers - but it fades away after a moment when Klaus glances to his left at Dave, who gazes out the car window as the city lights pass them by. He’s been quiet since they left the club, and Klaus reaches out, fingers brushing Dave’s in the dim light of the back seat. 

The gentle touch is enough to get Dave’s attention and he turns to glance at Klaus, shooting him a smile. “You were great tonight,” he murmurs softly, a small, intimate moment in the loud chatter of the car, as Ben excitedly talks with Allison and Diego, still corporeal from earlier.

Klaus shoots him a smile in response, inching his hand beneath Dave’s until their fingers are laced loosely together. It feels childish and innocent, holding Dave’s hand in the back of the family car, a stark contrast to the energy of the club, and finally, Klaus feels himself coming down, relaxing a bit. He didn’t notice how on edge he had been until now. 

Dave, however, still seems tense even after they arrive back at the Academy. It’s late by the time they get back, and even later once Klaus  _ finally _ retreats to his bedroom, going on three in the morning after they fill Five, Luther and Vanya in on their successful mission. Dave hangs around while they all lounge in the kitchen, Diego, Allison and Five sharing a few drinks and Klaus nursing a cup of tea, but he’s relatively quiet throughout the night, only piping up when necessary. 

By the time they  _ do _ head up to Klaus’ bedroom, Dave’s silence weighs heavy on Klaus, and once the door clicks shut behind them, Klaus sighs, turning to him. “Alright, I know something’s bothering you,” he announces, “Come on, spit it out.”

But Dave just offers him a gentle smile. “Just a long day, I think,” he responds. 

“Bullshit,” Klaus retorts. He takes a few steps forward, reaching a hand out for Dave, who takes it, and the skin on skin contact is appreciated. Klaus is  _ exhausted,  _ but this feels good. It’s something he’s been longing for all night. 

“I promise, it’s nothing,” Dave offers, even as he laces their fingers together once more, hands gentle as always. 

_ “David Katz,” _ Klaus presses, “I’ve known you long enough to learn all of your tells, and you’re a  _ terrible  _ liar.”

It’s true, to be honest. Klaus had to cover for Dave  _ so much _ back when they first started hooking up - when they first fell in love. Whenever their peers would ask where Dave had been when he’d sneak out so spend time with Klaus, he’d always come up with some half thought out excuse, and Klaus would have to jump in to save his ass, before anyone else caught on. Good to know that nothing has changed, even after death.

Dave seems to know this too, because he snorts out a laugh at Klaus’ words. 

Before he has a chance to say anything else, though, Klaus takes on a more serious tone, insisting, “Come on, talk to me. What’s going on up there?”

Then, Dave finally sighs, head dipping down. “Just… the mission tonight, I suppose.”

“I told you that you didn’t need to come…” Klaus replies gently, squeezing Dave’s hands slightly. They had a lengthy conversation about it, because Klaus was immediately worried about throwing Dave into an intense situation again. After coming from Vietnam, the last thing he wanted was to trigger something inside of Dave when he wouldn’t be able to help him get through it. Klaus is good at compartmentalizing that shit, but Dave… he wasn’t so sure. 

“No, it’s not that…” Dave sighs. He pulls his hands away, running them shakily up his face and through his hair. He looks utterly  _ exhausted, _ and Klaus knows immediately that it has  _ something  _ to do with the way Dave is feeling, even if he won’t admit it. “It’s stupid,” he continues, “It’s -”

“That tattooed fucker,” Klaus supplies, realization suddenly dawning on him. 

Dave finally glances up at him at that. “What?”

“Logan, Liam, Lucas,  _ whatever _ his name was,” Klaus mutters with a wave of his hand, “That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”

Klaus  _ knows _ that this is only part of it, but he’s not going to force Dave to talk about Vietnam if he doesn’t want to. So instead, he focuses on  _ this _ . 

“Klaus -” Dave starts carefully, but Klaus is quick to cut him off, a smile spreading across his face.

“Oh my god, you’re  _ jealous,” _ Klaus exclaims, “Oh, this is  _ great,  _ now we can have passionate hate-sex and -”

_ “Klaus,” _ Dave repeats, voice a bit harder. It’s enough to cut him off. 

The excitement dissipates, but the smile doesn’t leave Klaus’ face. “Yeah?”

“I’m not  _ jealous,” _ Dave insists, and  _ god, _ he sounds like he’s trying so hard to convince himself. Then he sighs, shaking his head. “Well, okay, maybe I am. But that’s not it. It’s just more so… I feel like I’m holding you back.”

_ Oh. _

_ Now, _ the smile fades from Klaus’ face as he realizes that this is a bit more serious than he initially anticipated. At first, he thought this could be resolved with a few lighthearted, teasing words, carefully placed kisses and reassuring touches, but Dave actually seems  _ worried.  _

“Holding me back?” Klaus echoes. He takes another step forward, reaching for Dave’s hands again. “I don’t get it… what do you mean?”

Dave sighs, even as he lets Klaus take his hands again. “I don’t know. I just… I know it was just part of the job, but it just got me thinking…” he shakes his head, “It reminded me of the disco, the night we first kissed. Touching you, holding you… you deserve someone who can do that for you, and I can’t give that to you anymore.” 

Dave looks down at their joined hands and adds, “At least not all the time.”

Klaus feels his heart breaking at Dave’s words. He had no idea he felt this way, no idea that it was bothering Dave this much. So he offers Dave a gentle, reassuring smile. “That doesn’t matter,” he insists. 

“But  _ Klaus, _ you’re…  _ you. _ People just gravitate to you,” Dave mutters, and  _ god,  _ he sounds so small, so insecure right now. Klaus has rarely heard him like this, only once or twice when they talked about their families during late-night walks when neither of them could sleep. “You’re…  _ fuck,  _ there aren’t any words. You could have anyone and you’re stuck here with -”

“No,” Klaus interrupts before Dave can finish his thought.  _ “No no no. _ Stop that. I don’t want just  _ anyone _ .”

And  _ fuck, _ he’s so bad at this. He doesn’t know the right words to say to convince Dave that he loves him, that he doesn’t want anyone else but him, that he doesn't care what hurdles they have to overcome. He’s never actually  _ had _ to convince someone that he loves them, always the one fucking things up, pushing people away. 

He’s never had someone who cares quite this much, and Klaus has never felt the same way in return, until now. 

“I don’t want to kiss some Lucas or  _ whoeverthefuck _ ,” Klaus insists, “I want you. Only you. I’m not  _ stuck _ with you.” He swallows, throat tight before continuing, “I want  _ you _ to touch me like that… want you to dance with me.  _ Shit, _ Dave I thought that was obvious.”

A small smile flashes across Dave’s features at Klaus’ words, but it’s gone just as fast as it’s there. “But I can’t always be that person for you.”

_ “That doesn’t matter,” _ Klaus repeats. Then, he’s reaching up, fingers inching under Dave’s chin, gently tilting his head up to look at him. “Hey,” he murmurs softly,  _ “Hey, _ look at me.”

Dave  _ does _ glance up at Klaus at that, and  _ god _ Klaus hates this look on him. He hates seeing him like this - insecure and hurt and scared. He’s seen this look on him a few times, most notably right before heading out to the front lines, and if he could help it, he’d never see it again. 

“We probably should have talked about it, before I just dove in tonight,” Klaus murmurs, “I’m sorry about that, but I promise you, I want  _ you. _ You kind of stuck with me, so  _ I’m sorry -” _

“No,  _ no, _ it’s okay,” Dave interrupts at that. One hand comes up, fingers wrapping around Klaus’ wrist, holding him in place. “I’m just… I’m not used to  _ all of this. _ It’s not like I had any competition back when we first met, and you’re, well…  _ you. _ It’s just all very new to me.”

Klaus smiles at that. “Even if there was, I’d choose you every time.”

“And you call  _ me _ a sap,” Dave teases in response, a  _ real, _ genuine smile finally pulling on his lips.  _ That’s more like it.  _

“What can I say? You bring it out in me,” Klaus shoots back, and  _ then _ Dave’s snorting out another laugh. At that, he steps impossibly closer, arms wrapping around Klaus’ middle, pulling him closer, until their bodies are flush. 

Dave leans in at that, resting his head on Klaus’ shoulder in a vulnerable display of affection. “I love you, Klaus,” he murmurs.

Klaus leans into the touch, hand coming up to cradle the back of Dave’s head. “I love you too,” he replies. And, at the risk of coming off as too mushy, too much, he adds,  _ “Fuck, _ Dave. I always will. I don’t care if a twenty-two year old Leonardo Dicaprio knocked on the front door right now… I’d  _ always  _ choose you.” 

He knows that the reference is lost on Dave, but the other man still chuckles against him. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he says against Klaus’ shirt. 

“You better,” Klaus says around a laugh, “We’ll watch Titanic sometime this week, you’ll get what I mean.”

Then, after a beat of silence, Klaus adds, “And for the record,  _ whatshisface _ was a terrible kisser.”

Dave laughs against him, then pulls away slightly, straightening up to look at him. “Yeah?”

_ “Oh yeah,” _ Klaus waves his hand dismissively, “Like kissing your mom or something. Just all -” he purses his lips tightly, making kissy noises at Dave, “It was awful,  _ truly.” _

Dave shakes his head, unable to wipe the smile from his face now. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” he teases. 

“It’s no wonder, though,” Klaus continues, “I’m sure those guys don’t get laid often, all work and no play.”

“You probably broke the poor guy’s heart,” Dave suggests.

“He’ll get over it.” Klaus snickers. Then, an idea dawns on him. “ _ Shit,  _ now I’ve gotta ask Five about it. I’m trying to imagine him picking people up at the bar as an old man, and it’s not an image you want in your head.” 

Around his and Dave’s laughter, Klaus squeezes his eyes shut, “It’s like,  _ big _ Five, but still with his thirteen year old face.” He shudders,  _ “Horrifying.” _

“I’d rather  _ not _ think about that,” Dave counters, although he’s still laughing, clearly amused by Klaus’ rambling. 

“Nope, the image is there, it’s not going away,” Klaus says with a grin. 

Then, Dave’s shaking his head, arms tightening around Klaus’ middle, pulling him just a little closer. “Well, let me take your mind off of it…”

“What do you -  _ oh _ ,” Klaus starts, then stops, the implication of Dave’s words fully hitting him. “Oh,  _ okay yeah _ I’m okay with that.”

When they kiss, Dave is still chuckling against Klaus, unable to wipe the smile from his lips, and  _ fuck,  _ Klaus feels like he’s floating. He feels like this each and every time they kiss, every time Dave’s gaze lingers on him, and every time he stops to remind himself the he’s really here. That Dave is really his, after everything they’ve been through. He wasn’t lying, when he said that he’d choose Dave every time. It’s not just because he’s Klaus’ real first love, and it’s not just because Dave is the first person who showed him a type of kindness that he never received in his life. It’s because he and Dave just _click._ They fit together, like two puzzle pieces, as cheesy as that may sound. Whenever they’re together, the voices get a little quieter, the weight of the world a little bit lighter on his shoulders. 

It’s impossible to find the words to convey this, though, so when they eventually part, Klaus presses his smiling face into Dave’s neck, mouthing a few kisses against his skin. “You’re a much better kisser, just so you know,” he murmurs, voice muffled, “I could do this all night.”

And Dave, the smooth fucking bastard, just winds an arm up and around his shoulders, fingers tickling the hair at the back of his neck, and asks, an echo of words spoken over fifty years ago, in the back of a disco in Vietnam, “So why don’t you?”

**Author's Note:**

> SO, I'm actually starting to formulate a bit of a plot to end this series. Crazy, I know.
> 
> That being said, let me know if there's anything in particular you'd want to see from this universe! I can't guarantee anything, but if something strikes a chord, I'm definitely down to write some more little one-shots before this ends.


End file.
